Double-T Nation Daily Diatribe | 2011-03-23

I've mentioned this a couple of times, but one of my favorite websites (do you like websites?) is The Boston Globe's The Big Picture and a week later Japan is still suffering.  Think a good thought for them today, I think they could use it.

As I am sure you have heard ,the football team postponed yesterday's practice because of high winds.  I know, some of you feel that the football team has to practice in the wind and the elements no matter what, but if the practice is delayed a day where the winds were 40 mph versus 12 mph, then I'm fine with putting it off a day.  Even the Ubbennator said it was pretty bad yesterday.  Again, for me, its whether or not a football team can really be productive in high winds and I'm guessing that if the intent is to work on the passing game or whatever, it's tough to do in extreme conditions.

Thanks to Plano Jeff's FanPost, go check in if you're going to the Red-Black game on Saturday.  The weather is supposed to be spectacular.  And right now, I think we've got three people willing to take a position.  Yesterday, I asked if folks would be willing to take a position to watch during the spring game.  Keep in mind, I'm not asking for a dissertation, just a paragraph or two about the position group as a whole.  You'd be helping me out tremendously. 

There's not much, if any, news out there this morning.  Phil Steele lists his top incoming freshmen quarterbacks and running backs.  I'm not surprised that QB Michael Brewer made the list, but I am surprised that he's at #20, while I think Texas Tech and Florida St. are the only colleges with three running backs on the list.  Here's Texas Tech's list: Kenny Williams at #21, Rannie Daniels at #45 and Bradley Marquez at #48.   And DoubleTFaithful's Spencer Rogers goes through who he thinks which freshmen skill position players will make an impact this fall. 

There was some good news and bad news last night.  We'll cover the bad news first.  LAJ's George Watson reports that starting pitcher Daniel Coulombe is out for the remainder of the year and will have to have Tommy John Surgery.  Coulombe was supposed to be a weekend starter for this team and this is a significant blow to the pitching staff.  Here's Watson:

This is a big blow to a team that seems to be finding its stride with the start of Big 12 play. The Red Raiders took two of three from Baylor in Waco over the weekend and could have very well swept the Bears after a nine-run ninth inning comeback went for naught in the Saturday game. They came from behind to win Sunday's series finale to clinch the series, then beat DBU after trailing 5-0 going to the seventh.

If this team really has more pitching depth like head coach Dan Spencer has said all year, then the blow of losing Coulombe won't be as large as in years past. But some of the guys on that staff need to step it up for that depth to become reality.

And as Watson mentioned, Texas Tech (15-7, 2-1) gets the win last night, beating Dallas Baptist (13-8), 7-6 (boxscore), in yet another come from behind win.  P David Paiz didn't have an awful evening (3.0 IP; 2 H; 2 R; 1 ER; 1 BB; 0 SO) although reliever Duke von Schamann did have a rough outing (1.0 IP; 3 H; 3 R; 3 ER; 2 BB; 2 SO).  The bullpen was pretty darned good for the rest of the game as Brennan Stewart, Scott Erzinger, Jerad McCrummen, Ben Flora and John Neely (collectively, 5.0 IP; 3 H; 1 R; 1 ER; 0 BB; 3 SO) and Neely (5-0) got the win last night.  At the plate, DH David Paiz contues to rake (3-4), but it was 2B Jamodrick McGruder (2-5; 3 RBI) and 3B Red Redman (1-2; 2 RBI) drove in the majority of the runs for Texas Tech.